Low Carb Berry Cheesepie

This is a dessert that reflects a lifestyle which steps off the strict keto path every now and then. I call it Early Summer Low Carb Berry Cheesepie because it combines all the beauties that spring, turning into summer, brings.

Fresh berries from the woods or home garden are something I don’t like to keep avoiding by all means just because I follow a LCHF lifestyle. The berries are here now (in the late spring and early summer), they are sweet, organic and, as such, won’t be available in a couple of months.

The name Cheesepie comes from combining pie and cheesecake. Duh. You can take this recipe and skip the cheesecake part (the filling) and bake yourself a delicious berry pie. On the other hand, you can decide to leave the berries out to remain on the safe side of ketosis. Moreover, you can even leave the crust out, and just stick to baking the cheesecake filling. That can be a nice very low-carb treat.

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So the Cheesepie is a bit high on the carb side for which the berries take most of the guilt. Besides, it’s a little higher on the protein side, keeping the whole thing lighter and less fatty. This macronutrient ratio corresponds to increasing temperatures, increased workout intensity, as well as more frequent outdoor activity, such as mountain biking and climbing.

If you’d like to increase the fat in the recipe, add some more butter to the crust, use whole eggs everywhere, and use full-fat cream cheese. I used full-fat creamed curd that comes lighter than cream cheese, but it’s also lower in carbs, which is pretty awesome.

Ok, I’ve told you a few ways to tweak my recipe, but I encourage you to try this whole version out because it’s freaking delicious. Prepare it when you’re hosting your family or friends, or take it to a picnic. Especially if you want to make sure you don’t gulp it down yourself (yes, it’s that awesome). Just keep the pie cool so it can stay cheesecake-y.

Oh, and I don’t mean to take the entire credit for this amazing berry goodness. While planning the topping, I ran into a recipe by I Breath I’m Hungry that gave me the idea on how to bring the Cheesepie on a higher level.

Preheat the oven to 390 °F (200 °C). Line a 10-inch round baking pan with some parchment paper and grease it lightly.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all the crust ingredients, except egg whites. The butter should be soft enough for you to be able to mix the batter with a fork.

Helping yourself with a hand electric mixer, mix in the egg whites.

Pour the batter into the baking pan. Flatten it with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown and a toothpick, inserted into the center, comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

The filling

While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling.

Keep (or preheat) the oven at 360° F (180° C).

Using a stand electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until somehow fluffy. Next, add in all the remaining ingredients, except eggs. Mix, starting on medium speed and increasing the speed to high, until well incorporated.

Turn to medium speed and add in eggs, one by one. Mix on high until well combined.

Pour the filling onto the crust. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Before you add the topping on, the filling should still be wobbly, but not too runny.

The berry topping

You can prepare the topping while the cheesepie is being baked.

Using a fork, carefully mix the berries with erythritol, lemon juice, and the optional xanthan gum. You can use any type of berries (or none at all).

The crumble topping

Mix together the almond flour, softened butter, egg white, lemon zest, and erythritol. You can easily use a fork for this step.

Finishing the Cheesepie

Using a spoon, scatter the berries on top of the half-baked pie. When done, using your fingers, pinch small pieces of the crumble on top of the berries.

Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or so. The crumble should turn dark brown, and the berries should not be boiling (anymore). The pie itself might still be a bit wobbly, but it will set when cooled.

Let the Cheesepie cool down at room temperature, then place it in a fridge. You can serve it warm, but it will be much more compact and actually better when cold. It’s best to leave it in the fridge overnight.

Enjoy your early summer fruits!

So, what are you going to make out of all the fresh berries out there?

Nutritional and medical disclaimer

Please note that I am not a nutritional or medical professional. I do not give out any medical advice. I only share my own experience on this blog and encourage you to consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. The nutritional information provided for my recipes are estimates. Please calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. None of the recipes I post are meant to be used by any specific clinical population. The ingredients in my recipes do not affect my glucose levels or cause any allergic reactions to me. You should use my recipes and shared experience at your discretion. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained on this website.

Hi, Sharon. Thank you for the comment. With your help, I just noticed that I had forgotten to list lemon zest in the crumble ingredients list. It wouldn’t change the recipe much if you skipped it, but it does add to the flavor, though. All the best!

Is creamed curd cheese the same as cottage cheese? The link in the recipe just circles back to the blog post, and a Google search didn’t make it clear for me. Thanks in advance for your clarification and for your hard work in creating great keto sweets!

Hi, Denise. Thank you for your question. Writing this recipe, I didn’t think enough about curd cheese availability in the US, as I come from Europe. Curd cheese and cottage cheese are similar, but the latter usually comes with less fat. I’d suggest you look for high fat cottage cheese (at least 10%) if possible. Then, put it into an S blade food processor to make it creamed.

Another option is that you simply use cream cheese instead of complicating with cottage cheese. The result should be very similar if not better. 😉